My mind
has been toiling over the true definition of customer service for several
months now. This October, my sister and I, decided to open our own micro-day
spa in Austin. It was an interesting decision, in that I have begun to learn
more about the point of view of my Eminence accounts.
Now I am
sitting in the spa owners’ chair, making decisions each and every day about
vendors, employees, décor, menus, etc. At first, I worried that my new endeavor
may take service away from my Eminence accounts as a new distraction. But
instead, it has given me a fantastic insight into the day to day lives of spa
owners. If anything, it has improved my understanding of the struggles and
tough decisions faced by my clients.
As I
filed through different vendors and purveyors of the products and supplies that
my business would order on a regular basis, I started to become incredibly
sensitive to the customer service offered by each company. It was amazing to
learn the breadth and variety of ways each company offered me their products
and created value. I also am discovering very quickly, how I like my vendors to
interact with me and how Eminence, in reality, offers stellar customer service.
Now, I get
complaints on occasion on our service, but as I learn more about running my day
spa and am able to compare different companies, I think that the problem isn’t
bad service. It’s that each owner, myself included, has a completely different
definition of what service entails.
Some spa
directors feel that good service is fast shipping. Some feel that the free
education is more than enough. Some just like knowing my team is there to
answer the phone or call them back when they need us. The range of expectations
is wide and varied. The bottom line is that there is no one true answer.
What I
learned as a representative is basically, that anytime I can’t fulfill a spa
owners’ request, they get angry and complain that we have “bad service.” This
is what I refer to as negative tunnel vision. Spa directors and owners
sometimes get stuck on one aspect that is unavailable. This unavailable commodity
then becomes the sole focus of their opinion of our service standards. This is
not only incredibly unfair, but also unprofessional.
Companies
can’t fulfill each individual spa director’s request and stay in business. It’s
impossible. Lines have to be drawn, but that is not to say, that another
benefit isn’t there to make up for it!
The most
common Eminence complaint is our shipping costs. It’s true, as I
order Eminence myself, I am aware that it costs much more to get here than my
other lines. But then again, my other lines make me pay for marketing
materials. They also don’t offer an awesome excel sheet order form that is easy
to fill out. Filling out my purse vendor’s order form is like figuring out a
Rubick’s cube. Seriously, it’s ridiculous. But I love these purses and they
call me after every order to say “thank
you”, so I will continue to puzzle it out. Additionally, my other lines
don’t plant a tree for every product sold, they don’t offer free training, and
they charge me for samples. I don’t necessarily associate high shipping with
bad service, nor will I threatened Eminence to drop my account, for not
changing their business model.
Now I
will go a step further by saying, it’s not fair for spa owners to demand that
one company meet the “service” standards of another, just because that is what
they want. I am always upset when I get a call asking why Eminence can’t do
what “So & So Skincare” does. Firstly, it sets me up to invariably look bad
in a client’s eyes. That is always frustrating. And honestly, it’s because
Eminence isn’t Skinceuticals, Obagi, Aveda, etc. Eminence is Eminence, a
company that has created an incredible line of amazing products, and
successfully provides these products, along with amazing education and support,
within its own business model. Skinceuticals, Obagi, Aveda, and every other
line out there have created their own business models, and their customers
truly shouldn’t hold them to Eminence standards either. If you want an apple,
eat an apple. Don’t try to cram an apple into the shape of an orange, then
complain when it tastes wrong.
Take
advantage of the great ways each vendor you work with offers you excellent
service. Celebrate that you can benefit from each one in a different way. And
if something really doesn’t work for you, look elsewhere.
I ask
each spa director out there who is reading this and feels that their vendor is
offering bad service, or substandard benefits to their other vendors to take a
moment to troubleshoot in the following ways:
Talk to your representative right
away if you’re unhappy.
This
sounds like a no brainer, but sometimes things go wrong with my accounts, and I
don’t find out about it for weeks! Representatives are the bridge between you
and the company providing the service. They have the ability to fix things when
possible, or at least provide an understanding on how things work. I have clients
who never call me back or even reach out when they have a problem. How on earth
can I offer excellent service if I am left in the dark?
If you don’t like something about
your vendor, review what they do offer to make it up.
You’ll
be surprised how many great benefits are offered by different companies to make
up for their short-comings. Whether it’s an incentive program, free samples, or
a cool rewards programs, most company have some sort of counter-weight to their
limitations. Ask to see what fabulous benefits you may not be aware of and
maybe you’ll be surprised!
Keep it in perspective
Good
service doesn’t mean you get whatever you ask for, just because you are the
customer. Remember that each company has an intricate system in place, designed
to deliver their promised goods and service in a profitable and reasonable
manner. You are always an important customer, whether small or huge, but you
are not the ONLY customer. Try to avoid threatening to drop the line unless you
have truly been treated poorly. Representatives are human beings who don’t
appreciate working under a threat. Be realistic and work with us, it’s more fun
that way and then we can be on the same team! You’d be surprised how a good
representative will go the extra mile if you are respectful and realistic.
If you keep getting turned away
for extras, ask why.
This one
may get a little sticky, but it’s an important way to understand service. For
my readers who perceive good customer service as free stuff, listen up. I had a
very low volume account who, over her first year of business with us, asked for
free samples and testers on a regular basis. She claimed that since she ordered
so much from us, we should give her
more products, free of charge. In reality, she was a very small fish in the
sea, but in her perception, she was throwing a fortune in our direction. When I
finally sat down with her and had a business meeting, she was shocked to
discover that she was actually a very humble business. Even though she was busy
seeing clients and kept her books full, her particular business model capped her
profit in a variety of ways. (See my blog on 5 Ways to Drive Customers Away
& Top 8 Business Practices to Grow Revenue) Since then, I’ve created
incentive programs for her to grow her business and earn freebies. In the end, however, the free products she ended up
receiving weren’t what constituted true customer service, it was Eminence’s and
my willingness to work with her and grow her business that was. THIS is the
point that is often missed by many clients, as when we don’t get what we ask
for right away, it is easy to develop that negative tunnel vision.
To
summarize this blog, remember to communicate and enter agreements with vendors
with open eyes. Ask questions about service standards, and if things go awry,
speak up! Find solutions with your representatives and release the grudges of
personal opinions. Business is business and everybody is chasing that buck! The
nice thing about working with upstanding vendors, is that you are never chasing
that buck alone!
